Speaking at the 34th meeting of the National Steering Committee on Combating IUU fishing in Hanoi on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung said: "Ministries, sectors, and local authorities must strictly adhere to previous directives, particularly Notice 159 of the Steering Committee, which assigns specific tasks to each entity. Any ministry or locality that fails to execute these duties must be held seriously accountable.”
“Next week, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, acting as the standing body of the Committee, must submit a proposal to reorganize the Steering Committee. Following EC recommendations, we are also considering the establishment of a dedicated task force,” Mr. Dung added.
He called for a comprehensive review of the legal framework and management processes governing fisheries. This includes tightening controls over fishing fleets, strengthening traceability protocols, and monitoring raw material imports.
Legal loopholes need to be addressed with key priority areas for immediate action including the finalization of the installation of tracking equipment in the entire fleet, stringent monitoring of vessels entering and exiting ports, origin tracing, and resolving outstanding violations.
Mr. Dung suggested the formation of interdisciplinary teams at fishing ports. These teams would include representatives from the border guard, fisheries surveillance, and local fisheries departments to ensure real-time oversight and compliance.
